Virginia Commonwealth University: Offer transparency into the firing of Coach John Finley.

Girl’s volleyball coach, John Finley, accused Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin of not renewing his coaching contract because of a negative bias towards LGBT members of the athletics department.

VCU hired McLaughlin to advance the athletics teams into the Atlantic10 (A10) division. However, is VCU abandoning their strong advocacy for diversity and ethics in order to score points in the A10?

Since arriving at VCU McLaughlin not only released Finley, but demoted the only other openly LGBT faculty member in his department. As well he added to the staff former colleague Glenn Hofmann, who worked with him at Niagara University. In August, one month after VCU hired McLaughlin; Hofmann resigned his job as Athletic Director at Merrimack College in Massachusetts after an independent misconduct investigation.

“A core value of Virginia Commonwealth University – and one that I personally share – is diversity. I came to VCU because of how the university embraces diversity and inclusive excellence and fosters a community where differences are valued and respected, said McLaughlin in a press release in response to Finley’s accusation.

“As I said earlier this month, the VCU volleyball program needs new leadership if it is to achieve athletic and academic success at an elite level nationally,” McLaughlin added.

McLaughlin has failed to give a substantial or quantitative reason for his decision to let Finley go. The community at large should demand a transparent view into the factual basis of Finley’s termination.